A group of residents in the Greenethorpe district are calling on surrounding communities to show support for a proposed Rail Trail in the Central West of NSW between Greenethorpe and Grenfell. This is a long disused branch line from Koorawatha, on the Blayney to Demondrille line.
As reported in the Railway Digest December 2020 edition, the initiative asks those who are in support of a rail trail, to hang a “Greene-bike” on their fence. Creator of the “Greene-bike” initiative and owner of the iconic regional attraction Landra Castle, Rod Kershaw, hopes that the community will really get behind the idea.
“We realise that we need to get overwhelming community support for it, so that all the politics involved will be dissolved” he said. “Then everyone would have to come on board because of the support that we have for it”.
The Grenfell-based Weddin Shire Council’s draft Destination Management Plan, identifies the region as ideal for cycling tourism. Closed to passenger services in 1974, and to freight services in 1991, the plan highlights the Greenethorpe to Grenfell corridor as a possible “regional recreational asset”.
Mr Kershaw said it made perfect sense to convert the corridor, with other local government areas seeing success with similar projects. “We went to Tumbarumba in October, and the new rail trail there had opened two weekends before, and all the people at the motel had bikes” he said in an interview published in the Cowra Guardian on 5 October.”
Greenethorpe already had a strong cycling attraction with the “Tour De Greenethorpe” being held from 2010 to 2017. Organiser of the Tour De Greenethorpe, Sam Allen, said with 150 riders attending the event, a rail trail may have kept the race alive. “It would have been fantastic, makes it a lot easier to organise,” he said. “A lot of our problems were having to close roads and marshalling; we don’t have to do that on a rail trail”. Mr. Allen said that while he understood opposition to rail trails in the Hilltops or Cowra council areas, it didn’t make sense for this corridor. “The problem with Young is that the Blayney to Demondrille rail line could realistically open, and I’m surprised it hasn’t,” he said. “Whereas here, there is very little chance it will ever open again. Realistically it’s a corridor owned by the state government, that’s just sitting there doing nothing, and this would be a perfect use for it”
Mr Hodges, who also took part in the trip to the Tumbarumba rail trail, said it had been fantastic to see the number of tourists visiting the community and it could happen here. “I think what we’re finding in the district is, if you build it, they will come,” he said. “I have read that every dollar sent on encouraging cyclists to come results in a six dollar spend in the community”. “A one to six return is incredible”.
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Sign UpAfter the devastating floods that struck the northern NSW and SE Qld this year, some good news with life returning to a ...
The Richmond Vale Rail Trail in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley is rapidly progressing towards development. As reported...
There are some folklores, especially from a movie, that all you have to do is build it and they will come. However the r...
After a small break to regroup, the Batlow to Tumut Rail Trail committee are once again on the task of assisting this wo...
Two RTA representatives attended the “Western Region Bicycle Forum” at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo o...
The High Tea gourmet ride is back by popular demand. Bike riders leave Huon Reserve, off the Murray Valley Highway, Huon...
The Mansfield Marathon events (to be held on Sunday 29 May) include a full marathon 42.2km, half marathon 21.1km, 10km, ...
Rockhampton Regional Council has released the preliminary design for the Mount Morgan Rail Trail in central Queensland. ...
More great news for the wonderful Great Southern Rail Trail in Gippsland, Victoria with the announcement that funding ha...
RTA continues to work on making its website rail trail descriptions more informative. The latest improvement is be able ...
The picturesque 80km High Country Rail Trail in north east Victoria is undergoing significant improvement: The sealed su...
The South Australian Riverton Community will host “A Walk or Ride To Remember The Anzacs” on the Rattler Rai...
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